Braken and Lotus (DJ Wolfy)
Lotuspaw woke to a dewdrop from a nearby branch above falling on her nose. She jerked her head up with a sneeze and shook her head. "Lotusp-paw? Are y-you awake?" A tired voice sounded from behind her. Lotuspaw swerved her head to see Sappaw, her best friend, blinking sleepily. "Yes, now I am. Sorry if I woke you up..." Lotuspaw apologized, dipping her head. "I-It's alright, Lotuspaw. You don't have t-to apologize to me." Sappaw smiled weakly, his whiskers twitching in response. Lotuspaw thought about how much Sappaw had been there for her, nearly always by her side and worried about her every day. She stood up and stretched, shaking her fur of little pieces of moss from her bedding. "You can go back to bed now, Sappaw. I'll go ahead and go on the morning patrol with my mentor and the few other cats that volunteer." Lotuspaw whispered, careful to not wake the other apprentices in the den as she walked out. "Good luck!" Sappaw murmured to her before resting his head on his paws once more, curling his light brown tail around him, honey colored tip twitching contentedly. Lotuspaw sighed at his resting shape and turned to the camp clearing. Almondfoot was sharing tongues with Aloeberry, her apprentice, outside the nursery. Aloeberry looked very happy, glancing back to look inside the den at the resting queen with her kits. Not hers, of course. "Goodmorning, Almondfoot, Aloeberry." Lotuspaw greeted the two she-cats. Hello, Lotuspaw. How are you this morning?" Aloeberry replied, her eyes bright. "I'm doing just fine. I'm going to go on the morning patrol. Did they leave yet?" Lotuspaw asked. "Yes, but not that long ago, though. I'm sure you can catch up to them if you still want to go." Almondfoot said, his voice cracking from slight age. "Alright, I'll see about it. Thank you, Almondfoot. Not pushing yourself too hard, are you?" "No, of course not, Lotuspaw. Don't worry about be so much. I'm not that old." Almondfoot chuckled. "Whatever you ask, Almondfoot." Lotuspaw dipped her head with a smile to the two cats and trotted out of camp. She scented the air for the familiar scents of her clanmates. Almost at once, the fresh scent of Fallowheart, her mentor, Clawshine, and Redwing flooded her senses. They must have come this way recently, just as Aloeberry had said. Lotuspaw padded forwards at a brisk pace, following the scent trail. After a moment or two, a scent floated from the moors ahead of her, fresh. She pricked her ears and tasted the air. It was the jucy prey scent of rabbit! Lotuspaw crouched down, her haunches swayed back and forth and her tail twitched. It smelled like it was just over the hill. Lotuspaw sprang from her hiding place and bolted after a white bushy tail frolocking off into the distance. Her paws thumped against the grassy earthy ground, and as she found herself bounding through the familiar moorlands of her territory, she didn't care to look anywhere else but the rabbit. This was costly, for Lotuspaw did not see a root jutting up from the ground ahead of her. When she did realize it was when she was flying through the air, her paw was wrenched in an awkward position when she landed on her back. The rabbit raced across the Birch Clan border. Lotuspaw's prey was gone now, but that was not on her mind right now. Her paw flared with pain, and the apprentice looked to see it. No wounds shone outside her fur, but on the inside she knew she had wrenched it. "Mouse dung!" Lotuspaw cried, shakily trying to get to her paws. When she even put the littlest pressure on her paw, she squealed in pain, falling back to the ground. "Someone help me!" She cried, hoping some border patrol could see her. Little did Lotuspaw know, but the rabbit she was chasing over the border found its way into another cat's paws. A new warrior from Birch Clan named Brackengleam. He pricked his ears, hearing Lotuspaw's desperate cry for help. Dropping his newly caught prey, Brackengleam raced over the border between him and Flower Clan. "Hello?" He called, looking for the cat who needed help. Lotuspaw's eyes flew open with releaf. Someone had found her! "Over here! Quick! I've wrenched my paw on a root and I can't get up!" Brackengleam hurried over to where a beautiful white she-cat was lying on the flattened grass, her eyes filled with pain. "It'll be alright, don't worry." Brackengleam comforted, crouching to examine her paw. "It looks bad. I'm not a medicine cat, but I know it'll heal." He said, certain of his answer. That seemed to make the she-cat less frightened and she relaxed a little. Brackengleam was glad. Seeing this she-cat in pain and frightened made his heart clench. "How will I get back?" Lotuspaw asked. "I'm sure a morning patrol will come soon. I can go look for one, if you wish." Brackengleam asked. "No, please stay. I don't want you to leave me here." Lotuspaw gazed into the handsome tom's shimmering blue eyes. There was kindness there, and something comforting. Lotuspaw felt her heart lift in her chest and she felt protected by this tom. "Of course I'll stay." Brackengleam said, smiling. He couldn't keep his eyes off of this she-cat. She was so... perfect. A loud voice suddenly broke them from their trance. It was Fallowheart! "Lotuspaw? Are you there?" His voice rang throughout the long grass. "Yes!" Lotuspaw shouted in a reply. "So, your name is Lotuspaw?" Brackengleam asked, his eyes shimmering, "you look old enough to be a warrior. I turned one yesterday." Lotuspaw smiled at the tom. "Yes, I'm Lotuspaw. And I'm going to be a warrior very soon, I'm sure. My mentor is discussing with my clan leader about my final assessment!" Lotuspaw said proudly. "In fact, I don't think I caught your name..." She looked him over. "Oh, my name is Brackengleam," Brackengleam replied, "I think I should be going now." He looked over his shoulder at the moorland, waiting for a cat from Flower Clan to come bursting out of the stalks. Lotuspaw gazed at Brackengleam admiringly. "I guess I'll see you around, Brackengleam. Goodbye, and thank you..." Lotuspaw said. The handsome tom nodded. "Goodbye, Lotuspaw. You're always welcome." Brackengleam hurried off over the border. I hope I see you again... He wanted to add. I shouldn't be feeling like this towards this she-cat... Brackengleam thought as he went, I have a mate of my own. But... do I really love her? ~ The End ~